Yu Yi shook her head. The magical pill box had a light-colored square pattern on it. As the pills were consumed, the inner light-colored area gradually diminished: “There are still plenty of pills. This servant wants to ask the divine being to help find Han Ren.”
The divine being scoffed, “The mission should be completed independently by you.”
Yu Yi whispered softly: “This concubine can take fewer academic credits.”
After a short while, Tian Shen told her what Han Ren had said. Yu Yi suppressed the smile at the corner of her mouth; the longer they spent together, the more she felt she understood Tian Shen.
—
Upon learning that Han Ren was safe and sound, Yu Yi relaxed considerably. The next day, she found his temporary residence. This was the home of one of Han Ren’s like-minded friends.
Xu Han Ren saw her and felt somewhat ashamed: “Mother.”
“
Yu Yi did not mention his three-day absence from home, but said: “Han Ren, the Xu family has indeed wronged you, but if you abandon yourself because of this, you will be just like before. Whether it’s the Xu family or outsiders, they will think you are not capable.”
The current dynasty encourages commerce, and major merchants’ status is not below that of high officials. Therefore, Han Ren, whose temperament did not enjoy studying or writing, also wanted to achieve success in the business world like his two elder brothers.
However, when he was in his early teens, he gradually realized that he was different from his two brothers. He was a concubine’s son, clearly his father’s son, yet treated like an outsider and viewed with suspicion. Whenever he showed interest in the family business, his father would suspect he had ulterior motives.
He resented being born and not trusted by his father, and had also hated his own background, wondering why his birth mother was a concubine and not the principal wife. Yet how could he blame the mother who had nursed and raised him?
Later, he became disappointed and no longer wanted to stay at home. He preferred to make friends outside and not caring about what happened in the family. After all, as the third young master of the Xu family, even as a concubine’s son, he never had to worry about food, clothing, or expenses. Why should he trouble himself?
